Control apparatus



Nav'. 13 w23..

J. S. IVICWHIRTER CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Jullca` 9, 1 919 @nd Powef'On.

WITNEssEs:

a Q. MM

Fatented Nov. i3, i923.`

nani-nn stares retenir JOHN S. MCWHIRTER, NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB T W'ESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION (3F PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

Application led June 9, i919.' Serial No. 302,663.

TQ (ZZ /w]0m.tfnzay camcom.' corresponding port-ion oit the brake-control 13e it known that I, JOHN S. lIoVI-Inrren, apparatus; a citizen or' the United States, and a resident Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the 55 of New York, m the county of New York floot-operated device that is shown in Fig. l; and `State ot New iork, have invented a and new and usetul Improvement in Control Ap- Fig. 5 is a view, in longitudinal section, of paratus, ot which thetollowing 1s a` specithe structure shown in Fig. 4.-. neat-ion.` le'terring to Fig. l ot the drawing, the 60 My 'invention relates to control apparatus structure here shown comprises a platform l0 tor dynamo-electric machines and it has controller l ot the Vfamiliar K type; a special relation to platform controllers upon brake-controlling means 2 in the form of the electric railway vehicles for governing both wcll-lnown engineers Y'LVQ and l foot" the electric circuits and the air-brake apoperated device 3 and power-transmitting @f5 paratus. Y mechanism l for operatively connecting the l5 One object ot my invention is to provide, controller and the engineers valve under in conjuction with a platform controller, repredetermined operating conditions. uiotely-located foot-operated means where- The controller l comprises the usual enby a step-hy-step movement ot' the controller casing member l2 and top cover member 1B 't0 drum may be effected in accordance with that are adapted to enclose a rotatable drum 2o the movements ot the motormans foot. l-l, havingA an upwardly-extending operating Another Object of my invention is to proshat't 15, tor arranging the circuits of the vide an apparatus of the abovezindioated railway motors or other apparatus to be character wherein a pawl-andratchet decontrolled and to alsorenclose-V the usual re- 't5 vice is provided for effecting a step-by-step verser drum 16, which is provided with an Z5 movement ot the drum controller in a torupwaidly-extending shatt 17, to the outer Wal-(l direction Under the, Control 0f 1 OOt- @Hd Oi" WlilCl'i ill@ ClIStOmly TCYQS@ level' 18 operated member, together with a suitable is attached. spring device tor automatically returning suitable bracket or standard 19 is se- B0 the apparatus to thev initial position when cured to the encasing member l2, for exthe toot-operated member is relieved ot presample. and provided, near its upper end, Sul-el with a hearing or journal 19a, with which a A further object oit my invention is to plurality of' other bearingl members 20, 21 mechanically couple an engineers valve or and 22 are alined, being` suitably secured to 86 other brake-controlling means with the tootthe vertical walls ot the vehicle vestibule, controlled device `tor the electric controller, tor example. il shat't 22% is rotatively mountwheiteby the brake-controlling means is oped within the several bearing members, thus orated (hiringv only a portion ot the drum extenfliner transversely7 ot' the upwardly-extravel to etfect release ot the brakes before tending'sha'tt 1V) tor the drum controller 14. 90 the electric circuits are closed and to ettect bevel gear-wheel 2st. is secured to the outer the application ot the brakes atter the elet cud ot' the sha'lt l5 to mesh with a second tric circuits have been opened. bevel ear-wheel 25 that is attached to the Futtherobjecls ot my invention will bctraumerscly-er;tending shaft 23. come. evident trom the following detailed The right-hand end ot the shatt 2? is pro- 95 description taken in conjunction with the acvided with a bevel gear-wheel 26, only a companying drawing,,whereinportion ot which is provided with teeth, as

Figure l is a view,in front eleva-tion, ot a' clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, and such porcomplete control appa ratas contracted in action meshes with a, bevel pinion 27 which is cordance with my present invention; secured to the operating stem 28 tor the enloo Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan'viewof the airgineers valve 2. 5o brake controlling means "that is shovvnn rlhe valve 2 may be of any well-known Fig'. 1; type, comprising essentially a suitably cham- Fig. 3 is a view, Hin, side elevation, of a bored cylinder 29, with which a pluralityof supply and outlet:l pipesI 30 con'uulniicate, and an operating handle 3l which is attached to the operating stem 2S, for permitting handv operation of the valve whenever desired.

For the purpose of biasing or automati cally returning the various rotatable ineinbers to the illustrated initial positions, a suitable spring 32 enoloses a portion of the transversely-extending shaft 23, the ends of the spring` being secured to that shaft and to the bearing member' 2l, respectively. It will be understood, however, that any other suitable or convenient means for biasing the apparatus towards the illustrated position may be utilized.

As indicated in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the engineers valve 2 is adapted to assume four operative positions E, ci, L and R, respectively standing for emergency-brake application, service-brakeV application, lap and brake release. The biasing spring 32 normally'maintains the engineers valve 2 in the emergency-braking position E, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.. In this way, upon incapacitation or intention of the motorman, an einergency-braking application is automati cally made to rapidly bring the vehicle to rest, which is particularly desirable in the case of one-man or safety cars, to which my invention may be applied with especially advantageous results.

The toothed or operative portions of the bevel gear-wheels 26 and 27, as illustrated in Fig. 3, cover the range of travel of the engineers valve 2 from the initial or normal emergency-braking position E to the brakerelease position R which also corresponds to the power on position of the controller drum 14. The preferred arrangement of parts is such that the vehicle brakes are fully released by the valve 2 just before the control drinn 14 reaches its first operative position. Thus, it is necessariv to initiallv position the drinn 14 a corresponding distance behind or in the reverse direction from the customarily occupied off position of such controllers. Yln other words, the relative positions of the drum 14, for controlling the electric circuits of the vehicle, and of the engineers valve 2. for governing the braking ai'iparatus. is such that, upon Inovement of the foot-operated device 3 in a nianner to be set forth, the transverselyextending shaft 23 is operated to rsteffect nieveinent of the engineeris valve 2 from position E to position R bv means of the corresponding notched portions of the bevel gearwheels 26 and 27 and, as soon as the vehicle brakes have been released, the controller 14, which has been actuated through the same number of open-circuit notches.l then assumes its first operative posit-ion to applv power to the electric motors to be controlled. The above-mentioned actuation of the transversely-extending shaft 23 is effected .the controller cover 1 3.' he lower end of the shaft 35 is provided with a bevel ,0ear wheel 3T which meshes with a vertical bevel gear-wheel 38 that is mounted upon the operating shaft 39 of the foot-operated device 3.

The shaft 39 :is suitably j'ournaled in the vertical arms of a stand or support 40 to be actuated by the application of the motornians foot to a pedal or foot-lever 4l.

The pedal 4lvis provided with a detachable pivotal connectionV 41a, or the equiva-V lent, with a suitableportion of the stand 40 and is biased to the illustrated solid-li Ae po.- sition by means of a helical Vspring 42 that acts between the pedal and the base portion oil the stand. The toe of the pedal 4l is detachably secured by a hook connection 48, for civaniple. to a link member 44 having a r-ivotal connection with an arm or crank member 45,which 'has an annular opening for surrounding a ratchet member 46 that is rigidly secured to the shaft 39. The crank member 45 is suitably supported or journaled within aplurality of arms 48 that extend from one side of thestand 40, and is provided with a rigidly-mounted pawl or finger 4T that extends within the annular opening of the crank member to engage the successive teeth of the ratchet 46 under operating conditions, as indicated Yby the dotted-line position of the device.

T he pawl 47 may be secured within the interior opening of the crank member 45 b v means of a suitable pin. welding or otherwise. lt will be understood that the inember 45 is mounted eccentrically with respect to the shaft 89. in order to provide the operation outlined above. ln this way, the pawl 47 is adapted to effect step-by-step move. nient of the ratchet 46 as the pedal 4l isdepressed, the pawl receding to an inoperative position (shown 'in full lines) `as the pedal .is raised. Y

The actuation of the foot-operated device 3 to produce rota! ive movement of the vertical shaft and, therefore. of the trans versely-czvtending shaft 23, may beset forth as follows. Upon depression of the pedal 4.1 bv the inotornians foot, the rigidly mounted pawl 4T is broughtinto engagement with, a corresiionding tooth of the ratchet 46, which is rotated in a forward direction for one.

notch as the pedal 41 is depressed to its lowerinost position. The shaft 39 of the foot-operating device 3 and, therefore, the bevel gear-wheels 38 and 37 are thus rotativeliv moved a corresponding distance.

Upon upward4 or return movement of the pedal 41 to the illustrated solid-line position, the paw-l 47 recedes toits position, shown in solid lines, near the succeeding ratchet tooth, in readiness for further rotative movement. In2 this VWay, oscillationotthe pedal 4l between the illustrated solid line position and the lowermost position effects a stepby-step or intermittent movement ot the ratchet i6 as'the successive teeth thereof are engaged the paivl 47, whereby the engineers valve 2 is iirst operated from its initial position E to its brake-release position R, Whereafter the control drum 1d is likewise moved in a step-bystep manner through its successive positions, the engineers valve meanwhile remaining in its brake-release position R by reason of the absence of teeth from the corresponding portions of the bevel gear-wheels 26 and 2T.

Whenever it is desired to return the illustrated control apparatus to the initial or normal position, either in the regular course of operation or to eiiect a sudden stop to prevent anl accident, for example, the motorman merely removes his t'oot trom the pedal al, Which is thereupon actuated by the spring d2 to the illustrated solid-line posi tion, which movement is accompanied by f a disengagementoft' the pawl 47 from the ratchet d6. Since the pressure between the pawl and the ratchet, which pressure has counteracted the constant biasing tendency of the shaft spring 32, is thus removed, the return movement of the apparatus is imme diately and automatically eiiiected by such baising action of the spring 32. The control drum 14 is thus returned to its oit or inoperative position just before the notched portions of the bevel gear Wheels 26 and 27 mesh to eifect movement of the engineers valve 2S) from the brake-release position R to the normal emergency braking position E. In this way, an emergency brake application is automatically eiiected whenever the pedal eil is relieved of pressure of the motormans toot, Whether trom incapacitation or intent-ion ot the motorman.

It will be understood that, it desired, the illustrated bevel gearfvvheel arrangement may be replaced, tor example, by an equivalent raclcand-pinion device for effecting the desired movements. Furthermore, other modifications in the structural details or arrangement of parts herein illustrated may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Consequently, I do not Wish to be restricted to the specific apparatus shown, but desire that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. The combination With a multi-position control element, ot' a foot-operated member, means comprising a pawl-andratcl1et device for ensuringstep-by-step movement of said element in a certain direction, and means. for automatically effecting return movement of said element.

2. The combination with a rotatable control drum having an upwardly-extending shat't, of a foot-operated' member located on a materially lower level than said shaft, means comprising a paWl-and-ratchet device for ensuring step-by-step movement ot said drum in a forward direction, and means for biasing said drum towards a predetermined position.

3. The combination with a rotatable control drum having an upwardly-extending shaft, of a foot-operated member located on a materially lower level than said shaft, a second shaft extending transversely ot" the irst shaft and geared thereto, means com prising gear-Wheels and a paWl-and-ratchet dei/ice for connecting said foot-operated member to said second shaft to ettect step by-step forward movement of said drum, and a spring attached to the rotating parts to automatically effectreturn movement thereof.

el. The combination with a rotatable control drum having an upwarally-extending shaft, of a foot-operated member located on a materially lower level than said shaft, a second shaft extending transversely ot the irst shaft and geared thereto, means comprising gear-Wheels and a paivl-and ratchet device and responsive to toot movement of said member t'or effecting step-by step operation oi said second shaft and said drum, means for biasing said paWl-andratchet device to an inoperative position, and means for thereupon returning said drum to its` initial position.

5. The combination with a multi-position control element, ot a foot-operated member, means for ensuring a step-by-step movement of Said element in accordance with the movements ot' said men'xber, and means tor biasing said element to an inoperative position.

6. rThe combination with a rotatable control drum, `of a foot-operated member, power-transmitting mechanism for co-operatively connecting said drum and said member under operating conditions, and means biased to normally disconnect said member from said mechanism.

7. The combination with a multi-post tion control element, of a foot-operated member, means comprising a pawl-andratchet device for effecting step-by-step movement of said element in a certain direction, means biased to normally disconneet said member from said device, and means dependent upon such disconnection for effecting return movement of said element.

8. In a systemI kof vehicle control, the

combination with a, multi-position control element, of a foot-operated member, means for ensuring a step-by-step movement of said element in accordance with the movements of said member, and bralrecontroh ling meansY for the vehiclealso governed by said foot-operated member.

9.A In a system of ,vehicle control, the combination with a rotatable control drum, of a foot-operated member', power transmitting niechanismv for co-opera-tively connecting said drum and said member, and air brake-controlling means for the vehicle also governed by said mechanism.

10. In a system 0f vehicle control, the combination with a multi-:position control element, ofa foot-operatedmember, means comprising a pawl-and-ratchet device for ensuring ,step-bystep movement of said element in a certain direction, means for automatically effecting return movement of ,said element, and brake-controlling means for the vehicle actuable with said element during` a portion 0f the travel thereof.

11. In a system of vehicle control, the combination with a rotatable control drum having an upwardly-extending shaft, of `a footoperated member located on a materially lower level than said shaft, means including` a plurality of gear-wheels for operatively connecting said shaft and said member, brake-controlling means for )the vehicle, and means comprising a plurality of gear-wheels for connecting said brakecontrolling means to said member during a portion of the drum travel.

12. In a systemvof vehicle control, the combination with a rotatable control drum having an upwardly-extending shaft, of a foot operated member located on a materially lower level than said shaft, a second shaft extending transversely of vthe first shaft and geared thereto, means comprising gear-wheels and a pawland-ratchet device and responsive to footfmovement `of said member for effecting step-by-step operation of said second shaft and said drum, brakecontrollingY means Ifor the vehicle, means for effecting movement of said brake-controlling means during a portion of the drum travel, means forbiasing said pawl-andratchet device toan inoperative position, a-ndmeans for thereupon. returning said drum and said'brake-controlling means to their initial positions.

13. In a Vsystem of vehicle control, the combination with a multi-position control element, of a foot-operated member for ensuring step-by-step movement of said element, brake-,controlling means for the vehicle also lgoverned by said member, and means for biasing the control element to an inoperative position and thebrake-controlling means to an operative position.

14. In a system of vehicle control, the combination with a rotatable control drum, of a foot-operated member, power-transmitting mechanism for co-operatively connecting said drum and said memberbrake controlling means for the vehicle alsoV actuated by said mechanism during the Vinitial forwarder ,final backward travel of said drum, and means for biasing said brake-controlling means and said drum to such positions that such initial forward travel corresponds to open-circuit condition 0f the drum. i

15. In a system 0f vehicle control, the combination' with a rotatable control drum, of a foot-operated member, air brake-oontrolling means for the vehicle biased to a brake-application position, and means ,for effecting concurrent movementY of the air brake-controlling means and the control drum, the arrangement of parts being such that the air brake-controlling-means Voccupies its brakerelease position before the control drum reaches an operative position.

16. In a system of vehicle control, the combination with a rotatable control drinn, of a foot-operated member for effecting movement of said drum, air brake-.controlling means for the vehicle,'and means for operating said controlling means to effect application of the vehicle brakes upon the return of the drum to its normal position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 16th day of May 1919.

`JOHNs.-nwwnnernn. 

